Upload for the down stroke —

FiOS uploads now range from 15Mbps to 500Mbps.

Verizon has boosted FiOS upload speeds to make them match download speeds, the company announced today. Both existing customers and new subscribers will get the speed upgrade. The increase is "free to current customers," Verizon said.

Further Reading

For example, the 15/5Mbps tier (15Mbps downstream and 5Mbps upstream) will now be 15Mbps in both directions. Other tiers before the upgrade were 50/25, 75/35, 150/65, 300/65, and 500/100. In all cases, the second number will be increased to match the first.

Additionally, a new 25/25 tier will be the entry level package for new customers, starting at $64.99 a month standalone, the "same pricing as current levels for 15/5," a Verizon spokesperson told Ars.

Despite that, existing 15/5 customers will be upgraded to 15/15 rather than 25/25. "It was a business decision to go in that direction," the Verizon spokesperson said. Triple-play packages including TV and phone start at $89.99 per month, though prices rise after a customer's two-year agreement expires.

Upgrades to symmetrical speeds "will continue throughout the fall," Verizon said. Customers who enroll in the free "My Rewards+" program will get first access.

Verizon said it expects FiOS upload activity to double by the end of 2016 since people are increasingly uploading videos, doing video chats, sharing files, backing up data, and gaming online. Verizon claimed it is "setting a new standard for fast Internet service and sharing content," although it really isn't new. Google Fiber and a variety of small ISPs scattered throughout the country offer symmetrical service of up to 1Gbps.

Symmetrical service does give Verizon a leg up over cable, which generally offers slower download speeds than fiber along with even lower upload speeds. FiOS buildouts have stalled, however, with Verizon focusing on finishing deployments to existing service areas rather than breaking ground in new ones.